WHY POSITIVE LIVING ?
it is a lifestyle issue. Just as publishing health warnings on a cigarette packet does not stop people from smoking, so merely providing people with information on HIV/AIDS does not succeed in changing sexual behaviour.
The approach to HIV/AIDS education should go beyond the transfer of knowledge and information regarding HIV/AIDS and the prevention thereof. It should address attitudes and perceptions regarding life, sexual behaviour and life choices so as to not only address the symptoms, but also the causes of the problem.
| Understand the risk of HIV/AIDS in relation to their own lives (instead of believing that “it will never happen to me”) |
| Make positive choices to ensure that they remain HIV negative. |
The program also addresses the needs of people who are HIV+ by helping them to deal with the disease in a positive way.
Alignment to the NQF: The course is aligned to unit standard:
8494 (Demonstrate an understanding of HIV/AIDS and its implications) on NQF2 and has 4 credits.
| The nature of HIV/AIDS: the difference between two |
| The stages, signs and symptoms |
| How the infection is spread: exploring myths and making sure of the facts |
| The role of STIs: what they are, how they increase risk of infection and how to treat them |
| Identifying your own risk of being infected |
| How HIV/AIDS affects the individual, the family and the community |
| The implications of HIV/AIDS in the organisation |
| How to prevent being infected: the ABC approach, exploring the appropriate option for the lifestyle you choose and understanding the consequences |
| Testing: pro’s and con’s of knowing your status, where to get tested and what is involved in testing |
| Living with HIV/AIDS: the role of the body, the mind and the soul |
| The rights and responsibilities of people with HIV and AIDS |
| How to support people with HIV/AIDS. |
Free To Grow, home of the award winning Free To Grow Lifeskills program, designed & wrote Positive Living. You can therefore be assured that the program content has been carefully researched to be relevant to the challenges that learners are facing. The methods used for helping them integrate the information and exploring their values, feelings and attitudes are, in the true Free To Grow style, fresh, stimulating and highly participative.
None of the theoretical content of the programme is new; it is rather a consolidation of the best information, from many different sources, into a simple and accessible format with lasting impact.
The focus of the program is on changing attitudes and on practical application instead of on the transfer of masses of technical information on HIV/AIDS. It is therefore easy for learners to relate to the course and apply what they have learned.
The program content and methodology can be adapted to the needs of different target groups. It can also be presented in the vernacular if required.
The program is presented in a safe, non-threatening small group environment by passionate and skilled facilitators. This contributes to creating a high level of openness in the group that encourages the participants to discuss sensitive issues freely.
Although Positive Living can be presented as a stand-alone course, it has been designed as a natural follow up to Free To Grow Lifeskills, building on the same foundation and integrating concepts that the learners have already addressed and mastered. Learning is therefore reinforced and training time maximised.
A half-day, focusing on what is HIV/AIDS, how it is spread and how it can be prevented.
A full day, also addressing living with HIV/AIDS and supporting people with HIV and AIDS.
A maximum of 20 participants per workshop.
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